St Kilian's Church, Bendigo
St Kilian's Church
St Kilian's Church
4
Full view
The area
Address
Best nearby
Restaurants
234 within 3 miles
Percy and Percy
323
0.1 mi$$ - $$$ • Cafe • Australian • Vegetarian Friendly
The Dispensary Bendigo
430
0.3 mi$$ - $$$ • Contemporary • Australian • Vegetarian Friendly
Sim R Cafe
272
0.3 mi$$ - $$$ • Cafe • Australian • Vegetarian Friendly
Lake View Hotel
254
0.1 mi$$ - $$$ • Bar • Pub • Australian
Bridge Hotel Bendigo
213
0.2 mi$$ - $$$ • Bar • International • Pub
El Gordo
143
0.3 mi$$ - $$$ • Cafe • Spanish • Vegetarian Friendly
Grill'd Healthy Burgers
178
0.3 mi$$ - $$$ • Quick Bites • Fast Food • Contemporary
Masons of Bendigo
1,582
0.5 mi$$ - $$$ • Healthy • Australian • Vegetarian Friendly
Clogs Bendigo
249
0.2 mi$$ - $$$ • Italian • Pizza • Australian
Old Green Bean Cafe
205
0.3 mi$$ - $$$ • Quick Bites • Cafe • Australian
Attractions
93 within 6 miles
Golden Dragon Museum
623
0.1 miSpeciality Museums
Yi Yuan Gardens
42
0.1 miArchitectural Buildings • Monuments & Statues
Bendigo Tramways
603
0.3 miScenic Railroads
Big Lotus Flower
2
0.1 miPoints of Interest & Landmarks
Moonlight Market Bendigo
1
0.2 miFlea & Street Markets
Bendigo Visitor Centre
313
0.4 miVisitor Centers
Rosalind Park
464
0.5 miHistoric Walking Areas • Parks
Bendigo Art Gallery
1,274
0.5 miArt Museums
Conservatory Gardens
16
0.3 miGardens
George Lansell Statue
38
0.3 miPoints of Interest & Landmarks • Monuments & Statues
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
33 reviews
Excellent
14
Very good
15
Average
3
Poor
0
Terrible
1
Jeffry b
Essendon, Australia10,961 contributions
St Kilian is a Catholic church, built in Gothic Revival style. It is the largest wooden church in Australia, and one of the largest wooden churches in the world. It has had a varied ecclesiastical career and now functions as a parish church. The interior is finely detailed; it is one of the foremost churches in Bendigo.
Written January 15, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Johanna W
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia91 contributions
Couples
Great history to this church. Very peaceful and quiet inside with great paintings and stained glass windows. Able to walk around the entire church, no area was off limits. Could walk right up to the pulpit. It is one of the largest timber churches in the world.
Written July 9, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Rhonda V
178 contributions
Family
I can remember mum playing bingo here at nights and as a teen being able to sit outside the bingo hall
Written November 1, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
shazzam61
Cairns, Australia21 contributions
Family
Worth taking a look at if you like that sort of thing. Old timber church still pretty much the way I have always remembered it. Not too far from the CBD, within easy walking distance and also a short walk to Lake Weeroona.
Written January 6, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Alys-Schatzi
Melbourne, Australia901 contributions
Friends
This is one of the biggest weatherboard churches in the world. It dates from 1888 and is in excellent repair thanks to work in the 1990s. You can walk in during the day, using the doors at the side facing the adjacent hall. The atmosphere is peaceful, as you'd expect, and the look of the interior is quite airy and simple (rather than dark and heavily ornate, as is the case with a lot of old churches).
A previous church made of sandstone and opened in 1857 was defective and had to be demolished. Before the stone church there was a timber slab and canvas church, built in 1853 after formal Catholic worship began in 1852 to meet the needs of immigrants and transients from Ireland and Cornwall.
The hall (which has a 1905 frontage) is currently used by a commercial bingo business but is scheduled to revert to church and Catholic school use.
St Kilian's is close to Bendigo's Chinese museum, so you could visit both in one half-day.
A previous church made of sandstone and opened in 1857 was defective and had to be demolished. Before the stone church there was a timber slab and canvas church, built in 1853 after formal Catholic worship began in 1852 to meet the needs of immigrants and transients from Ireland and Cornwall.
The hall (which has a 1905 frontage) is currently used by a commercial bingo business but is scheduled to revert to church and Catholic school use.
St Kilian's is close to Bendigo's Chinese museum, so you could visit both in one half-day.
Written December 8, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Bomoh
Mount Gambier, Australia714 contributions
Family
The only reason to visit unless you believe in confession is to see the wooden architecture of the late 19th century.
Nice organ inside.
Nice organ inside.
Written May 19, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Milligate
Croydon, Australia293 contributions
thankfully people of Bendigo didnt bulldoze all the old buildings otherwise this might not have survived, good to see an old timber church still standing
Written December 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Mark G
Melbourne, Australia1,811 contributions
Very large and old Wooden Church originally set up by a German. The complex is off the Pall Mall and on the tram route.
Written October 31, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
C...
Seymour, Australia47,483 contributions
After gold was discovered in Bendigo late in 1851 and with a large denomination of Cornish and Irish diggers it was not surprising that in 1852, the first Catholic mass on what was then a fledgling goldfield, was conducted by Rev Dr Henry Backhaus in a canvas tent. The tent had a flag pole out the front to signal when Mass was about to commence.
After this time there was a canvas and then an elegant sandstone church built... however the church was built so badly, it was condemned.
In late 1887, the St Kilians emerged. Designed by W.C.Vahland and built of oregon and hardwood, it is one of the largest weatherboard churches in the world. The new St Kilian’s was opened by Bishop Crane in 1888 and was thereafter known as the Pro Cathedral of St Kilian, until the opening of the Sacred Heart Cathedral in 1901, when it reverted to a Parish Church.
There is an organ that was built in 1871 by R.A. Randebrock of Paderborn, Germany, and was the gift of Dean Henry Backhaus. This is where I met Simon. Simon can play this organ and tells me that he isn't very good...but I have to admit I was impressed that anyone could play it. Simon is a local from East Bendigo who was lovely to chat to. Sadly he was here because his mother's funeral tomorrow...but to honour her, he will play the organ.
I really enjoyed looking around this church... it is impressive. The outside does not do it justice.
After this time there was a canvas and then an elegant sandstone church built... however the church was built so badly, it was condemned.
In late 1887, the St Kilians emerged. Designed by W.C.Vahland and built of oregon and hardwood, it is one of the largest weatherboard churches in the world. The new St Kilian’s was opened by Bishop Crane in 1888 and was thereafter known as the Pro Cathedral of St Kilian, until the opening of the Sacred Heart Cathedral in 1901, when it reverted to a Parish Church.
There is an organ that was built in 1871 by R.A. Randebrock of Paderborn, Germany, and was the gift of Dean Henry Backhaus. This is where I met Simon. Simon can play this organ and tells me that he isn't very good...but I have to admit I was impressed that anyone could play it. Simon is a local from East Bendigo who was lovely to chat to. Sadly he was here because his mother's funeral tomorrow...but to honour her, he will play the organ.
I really enjoyed looking around this church... it is impressive. The outside does not do it justice.
Written July 29, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
billt1958
Moe, Australia84 contributions
Couples
We stopped by chance to a have a look as the doors were open . It is a stunning church inside and is also the largest wooden church in Australia
Written June 12, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Frequently Asked Questions about St Kilian's Church
- Hotels near St Kilian's Church:
- (0.11 mi) Alexandra Place
- (0.05 mi) Jubilee Villa
- (0.05 mi) Holiday on Hopetoun- Heart of CBD
- (0.13 mi) 2easy on Hargreaves- next door to 2easy on Chapel
- (0.14 mi) 2Easy on Chapel - Next door to 2Easy on Hargreaves
- Restaurants near St Kilian's Church:
- (0.12 mi) Percy and Percy
- (0.14 mi) Lake View Hotel
- (0.16 mi) Bridge Hotel Bendigo
- (0.34 mi) The Dispensary Bendigo
- (0.33 mi) Sim R Cafe